Latest News

NEWS RELEASE

February 2018

It has come to the Parish Councils attention that there has been several reports of people knocking on doors offering drive way repairs in Hockwold. We would encourage you to be cautious. Citizens Advices link below has tips to protect yourself from rogue traders.

Keep Britain Tidy: Reminder – this year’s Great British Spring Clean is from 2-4 March 2018 which is a great community campaign with a simple aim: to bring people across the country together to clear up the litter that blights our towns, villages, countryside and beaches. The campaign wants to inspire 500,000 people to get outdoors, get active and help clear up the rubbish that lies around us. Last year around 300 local councils nationally supported the campaign through organising and supporting litter picks. You can find out more, access a range of resources and sign up to support the campaign on their website.

Dog Fouling

Dog mess is an eyesore and a health hazard. If you are a dog owner, you have a legal duty to clean up every time your dog messes in a public place. Registered blind people are not required to clean up after their guide dogs. There is also exemption for dog owners on some kinds of public land in England and Wales, including:

Land used for agriculture or woodlands

Rural common land

Land that is predominantly marshland, moor or heath

Highways with a speed limit of 50mph or more

Most local councils require dog owners to carry a poop scoop and disposable bag whenever they take their dogs out to a public place. Some councils offer free scoops: ask your council’s animal warden unit.

Look out for bins marked as dog bins to dispose of your dog bag. If you cannot find a dog bin, then double wrap the dog bag and place it in a normal litter bin.

If your street is littered with dog mess, you can ask your local council to clean it.

Hockwold cum Wilton Parish have erected a SAM2 sign in the village. It is a mobile sign and will be moved every four weeks. In some cases it will be flipped to face the opposite direction. The sign will be sited on the verge near to the road.

SAM 2 signs are electronic, flashing sign that is activated by passing vehicles which are travelling over the speed limit. They are deployed when an area has a serious speeding problem, or when requested by a Highways Engineer at Norfolk County Council. These units are educational only, and are not at present used for data collection. SAM (Speed Awareness Message) is a mobile sign, activated by passing vehicles to remind drivers and riders in Norfolk about the dangers of excessive and inappropriate speed. The speed detection signs are set up to face a road and if the speed of the vehicle is below the speed limit the device shows the actual spped that the vehicle is travelling. If the vehicle is travelling above the speed limit, the speed will be displayed along with a “Slow Down” sign. If the speed limit is exceed by 10mph or more, the speed is not shown and the “Slow Down” message will appear. These signs are put in places approved by the Highways Department.

The Parish Council are aware that many residents are concerned about speeding within the village, and they hope that these signs will encourage drivers to be speed aware.

Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales – Enable Programme

Grants of up to £15,000 over two years are available to develop charities supporting people who are experiencing multiple disadvantages. The fund can be used for:

Applications are welcomed on a rolling basis. For more information please click here.

Tudor Trust

Grants are available to voluntary and community organisations that work directly with people who are on the edges of mainstream society, and encourage inclusion, integration and independence. The Trust has no minimum or maximum grant levels, but usually do not award less than £10,000. The grant can be used for core, project and capital costs. Applications are welcomed at any time. For more informationplease click here.The Norfolk Non-Native Species Initiative (NNNSI)is currently working to put together Biosecurity Plans for the western catchments of Norfolk and Suffolk. These plans will help us to improve the management and eradication of invasive species present in the catchments. Invasive species include plants such as Himalayan balsam and Japanese knotweed, and animals such as American mink and muntjac deer.

To help make these plans as useful as possible, we need up to date and accurate data on the distribution of freshwater invasive species and further information about activities being carried out within the catchments. To get this information we need water users, land owners and stakeholders to complete a brief online survey (~10 minutes). The information provided will be incredibly useful in helping us draw up the most practical and efficient plans to improve the management of invasive species.

As a thank you, we are offering five £10 Cotswold Outdoor giftcards, which will be randomly awarded to five participants. If you would like to enter the prize draw, please leave your e-mail in the box at the end of the survey.

Safer Internet Day

If you would like some advice and tips on how to make access to the internet safer for children in your care please download the advice leaflet below.